Mountain regions are characterized by a spatial geomorphic heterogeneity that confers on the environment a significant geomorphodiversity. A methodology based on a different scale/spatial/resolution approach is proposed to evaluate the relationship existing among geomorphodiversity, geomorphological processes. and sediment connectivity. Starting from the geomorphological mapping of the Veglia Devero Natural Park (Lepontine Alps), indexes of fragmentation (IFrm) and geomorphodiversity (IGmf) were computed. The results were used to select a meaningful sub-area (Buscagna stream catchment) for calculating the index of connectivity (IC). The relationships among these three indexes are discussed, using a semi-quantitative approach including descriptive statistics (i.e., box plot) and analysis of the different geomorphoconnectivity sectors, testifying to the role of geomorphic processes in regulating sediment fluxes and, consequently, controlling landscape units. IGmf turned out to be more conservative than IFrm and more management-oriented for protected areas, while IC was confirmed to be particularly suitable to characterize connectivity in small mountain catchments featuring different geomorphic processes and a complex topography. This study suggests that coupling the sediment connectivity with the geomorphology and geomorphodiversity of a given area represents a quite novel approach that could be usefully applied in the framework of protected areas to investigate also biodiversity patterns and consequently environmental evolution in space and time.

中文翻译：

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揭示高山小流域地貌多样性与沉积物连通性之间的关系

山区的特点是空间地貌异质性，赋予环境显着的地貌多样性。提出了一种基于不同尺度/空间/分辨率方法的方法来评估地貌多样性、地貌过程之间存在的关系。和沉积物连通性。从 Veglia Devero 自然公园（Lepontine 阿尔卑斯山）的地貌测绘开始，计算了破碎指数 ( IFrm ) 和地貌多样性( IGmf )。结果用于选择一个有意义的子区域（布斯卡尼亚流域）来计算连通性指数（IC）。讨论这三个指标之间的关系，使用半定量方法，包括描述性统计（即箱线图）和不同地貌连通部门的分析，证明地貌过程在调节沉积物通量中的作用，从而控制景观单元. 事实证明，IGmf比IFrm更保守，更注重保护区的管理，而IC被证实特别适合表征具有不同地貌过程和复杂地形的小山区集水区的连通性。这项研究表明，将沉积物连通性与给定区域的地貌和地貌多样性相结合代表了一种非常新颖的方法，可以有效地应用于保护区框架中，以研究生物多样性模式，从而研究空间和时间的环境演变。